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| 14 March 2005 - Sadler's Wells, London ~ Conversation with Will ~ ‘Highland Fling’ is in Wimbledon this week after a week in Woking and a tremendously successful run at Sadler’s Wells. As you know, whilst I was in London I had the chance to catch up with Will, who was keeping quite busy with rehearsals, classes, and training; not to mention his performances. We started off talking about the production, being back with the Company, and how he tackled the role of James. “Matt (Bourne) wanted to change the production a little from the last time it was performed, making it a bit grittier, more realistic and earthier. For some of my research I watched Ken Loach’s Glaswegian inspired films, ‘Sweet Sixteen’, ‘My Name is Joe’and ‘Riff-Raff’along with American films ‘Requiem for a Dream’ and ‘Spun’; and of course we all watched ‘Trainspotting’. Matt encourages film research and although Highland Fling is a very stylised piece with a very strong set design already in place, I found it helped to see how others have portrayed drug use, the effects of different kinds of drugs, life as a young Glaswegian lad and that sort of thing”. “I think it was probably the first time I came into a production that already existed so the creative process wasn’t quite the same as I was used to in the past (Swan Lake, The Car Man, Play Without Words etc.). When I work in the studio, I talk about it with the other cast members and we create a dialogue along with the choreography and gestures, which of course, we eventually lose. This way you make your intentions very clear and everyone knows what you are trying to say and achieve. The hardest part is joining your own characterisation and mime into the choreography. There has to be a seamless way of joining the two. Unfortunately, I missed out on a lot of the creative process due to a freak bacterial infection rendering me hospitalised - giving me some more great opportunities for drug research but taking me out of the rehearsal studio for a few weeks! Because of this, I am only now feeling that I am finding my way into the piece and the role of James. I am constantly finding new things to explore, which is exciting and keeps performances fresh. I am incredibly happy that I am finally back on the stage and in this production”. Will told me he has a tremendous year ahead with many possibilities. The one project he can confirm at this time is ‘The Soldier’s Tale’ which will be May 11th to May 14th at the Linbury Studio Theatre, where he will dazzle once again in his dual roles of the Narrator and the King. He will be joined by original cast members Matthew Hart, Adam Cooper and Zenaida Yanowksy. Also in May, the long awaited release of ‘Mindhunters’, May 27th in the US and June 17th in the UK. He has been asked if he is available to do press for the film but as he joked, he’s been there with the release date notifications and subsequent press requests before. If it does come together, he will be back in LA for a bit of time and looks forward to that. Speaking of press, he is scheduled to go back to Japan April 11th for a junket to promote ‘Highland Fling’. He will then be in Japan, June 23rd to July 10th for the Japanese tour. Word is that Highland Fling may also go back to London for two weeks in August. But a big factor will be if the entire cast is good for it. He said that this stipulation gives the Company a lot of problems because it means that after Japan a lot of people have to hang around for five and a half weeks for just two weeks of work. There is no money to rehearse so they want the production just as it is now. Will said that personally he would love to do it again. There are some ‘talking stage’ projects as well. Cathy Marston will be doing ‘Ghosts’ in September. William Tuckett has two more projects, a film of ‘Giselle’, and the staging of ‘Pinocchio’. At this time, these are all close to being a reality, but not set in stone - thus I stress ‘talking stage’. Will also brought up one other very interesting, possible collaboration. In his eyes and certainly for those of us who know the work of these two choreographer/dancers, this has the makings of an ultimate dream team project. “I have been talking with Michael Nunn and William Trevitt (George Piper Dances/Ballet Boyz) recently and we talked about all sorts of future projects. They’re looking to get more into narrative dance pieces and I think they would be keen to work on something. I would be honoured. I think those two guys are great. They are beautiful dancers, extremely talented and courageous. It would be very exciting to do something with them. And as they are interested in moving into more film and character based work, I think I would be the guy for the job”! And what of ‘Edward Scissorhands’, one of the big questions on everyone’s mind. Will very much wants to dance the part he was offered several years ago; it’s a dream still very much alive. But until the dates are truly set in stone and the role ‘officially’ offered, he can only continue to hope that it proves a reality. Until then he says he has to get on with his life and the realities of what actually are being offered here and now. With all this dance, what’s the story with his film career? “It’s tricky. This year for some reason there’s been a lot of possible dance work and I feel that I should take advantage of that. I am still being put forward for a lot of Films and very much hope to fit one in around my dance schedule; and as I have said before, when I’m doing a film I’m thinking I should be on stage dancing again and after dancing for awhile, I think it would be lovely to get back on a film set! I guess I am lucky in that whatever I end up doing it’s all performing - and that’s what I enjoy doing!” When I mused maybe he should be in a musical so he could do both, he laughed and noted that he would have to brush up on his singing voice first. That brought up the topic of ‘Van Helsing’ buddy Hugh Jackman’s three picture ‘Film Musical’ development deal at Disney Studios (check out Jackman’s Landing for more on this). Will quipped, “It sounds very interesting. Maybe I should give him a call and ask him if there are any roles for me in his developments? ” In the meantime Will seems very contented adding, “I am making the most of the fact that I’ve been given the chance to play a leading role again with this inventive company; doing this type of work and being on stage. I’m dancing again and right now I feel great about that.” |